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EXECUTIVE FACULTY |
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Patricia Amaranth Robert Austin Gary Baker John Baldoni David Behen Phil Bertolini Neil Bhaskar Mike Brennan Lorie Buckingham Terry Cross Lynne Ellyn |
Gary Erickson Jamal Farhat Dr. Wendell Jones Todd Lunsford Claude Marais Cherri Musser Keith Pretty, JD Matt Roush Teri Takai Cyntia Zerkowski |
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PATRICIA AMARANTH Patricia A. Amaranth is Vice President of Systems Operations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Amaranth is responsible for the company's data center, network, distributed systems, personal computers, and data warehouse and call center technologies. Before joining the Blues in 1998, Amaranth had been Director of Network Infrastructure Technology and Operations for General Motors Corporation in Detroit. Previously, she was Director of Network and Systems at United Technologies Automotive, Dearborn. She also had been a Staff Development Engineer at the GM Technical Center in Warren. She received her master of science and bachelor of arts degrees in computer science from Wayne State University. She was named as one of the 2003 Top Michigan Women in Computing by the Ann Arbor Chapter of the Association for Women in Computing and is a member of Oakland University's Decision and Information Services Advisory Board. Amaranth is former Chair of the National Bureau of Standards Open System Workshop, an industry and government consortium. She also has been Co-chair of the Corporation for Open Systems Architecture Committee, an industry group for testing data communication standards.
ROBERT AUSTIN Robert D. Austin joined the Harvard Business School faculty in 1997. He teaches the first year MBA course in Technology and Operations Management, the information technology (IT) module of an executive program for owner/managers, and chairs the school's executive program for Chief Information Officers (CIOs). Professor Austin has also spent time in industry. He served as a senior executive in a new business created by a major technology company, and as a technology manager at the Ford Motor Company. In his time with Ford, he developed, installed, and supported IT applications and infrastructure in a variety of businesses, including aftersales service, parts operations, consumer credit, vehicle assembly, and technical support. Dr. Austin earned his Ph.D. in Management and Decision Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University, where his dissertation received the Herbert A. Simon Award. He holds an M.S. in Industrial Engineering and Management Science (Operations Research concentration) from Northwestern University and bachelors degrees in Engineering and English Literature from Swarthmore College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Beta Pi. Professor Austin's research focuses on information technology management, and more generally on management of knowledge intensive activities. He has written on these subjects in five books, The Broadband Explosion: Leading Thinkers on the Promise of a Truly Interactive World (co-edited with Steve Bradley), Artful Making: What Managers Need to Know About How Artists Work (co-authored with Lee Devin), Corporate Information Strategy and Management, Creating Business Advantage in the Information Age (both co-authored with Lynda Applegate and Warren McFarlan), and Measuring and Managing Performance in Organizations, as well as in academic and trade journals.
GARY BAKER Listen to Gary Baker, now in his ninth year as the Internet Advisor, on WJR 760AM every Saturday from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM where he and his co-hosts interview various guests about Internet-related topics and answers listeners' questions. He lectures locally and nationally on Internet-related topics in general and specifically on new technologies and supply chain activities in the automotive industry. He co-authored a white paper on Virtual Supplier Networks that was published in the Automotive Industry Action Group's ActionLine magazine and has had other articles published on supplier collaboration in Manufacturing Engineering. Recently Gary was the Process Executive and Managing Director on the EDS-GM account for both GM's Global Purchasing & Supply Chain and Global Business Services process areas. As a former Partner in the Advanced Technology Group in Business Consulting for Arthur Andersen, he created and led the first fully-functioning Application Development Center. In 1994, Gary co-founded and was the CEO of Online Technologies Corporation, a value-added Internet Solutions Provider that provides comprehensive Internet solutions for businesses. Gary currently serves on the Board of Directors of University Bancorp Inc., (NasdaqSC: UNIB) a small, publicly traded bank holding company and at one time served on the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's Advisory Council on Small Business. He is a MBA graduate of the University of Michigan.
JOHN BALDONI Leadership involves communications and learning. And these are the two areas in which John specializes. By combining an extensive background in business communications with training and management development, John helps corporate clients develop their communications, learning, and leadership skills. His leadership works centers on how leaders can use their communications to build trust and achieve results. By focusing on the concept of personal leadership, John shows how leaders can use their communications to guide and inspire their people through every phase of the leadership cycle from character and vision through planning, coaching, motivation, and supervision. For more than 20 years, John has written and consulted for a number of leading companies in a variety of different businesses, ranging from automotive and banking to computers, high-technology, fast-food, and packaged goods. John's corporate clients include Fortune 100 companies as well as entrepreneurial startups. John also consults and teaches in an internal management development program at the University of Michigan. John is the author of six books on leadership: How Great Leaders Get Great Results (McGraw-Hill 2006), Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders (McGraw-Hill 2005), Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders (McGraw-Hill 2003); Personal Leadership, Taking Control of Your Work Life (Elsewhere Press, 2001); 180 Ways to the Walk the Leadership Talk (Performance Systems, 2000); and with Eric Harvey 180 Ways to the Walk the Motivation Talk (Performance Systems, 2002). Two of his essays appear in two volumes of the Results Driven Manager series published by Harvard Business School Press. In addition, he co-authored an article with Marshall Goldsmith, "Selling Up is Leading Up: Coaching Your Manager Can Be as Important as Coaching Your Direct Report" that is contained in Coaching for Leadership (Second Edition) (Pfeiffer 2006). John's articles on leadership have appeared in the Harvard Management Update, Harvard Management Communications Letter, Executive Excellence, Leader to Leader, Link & Learn, PR News,T&D, Wharton Leadership Digest, and Global CEO. John is also widely quoted on radio as well as in mainstream and trade publications including the New York Times, Arizona Republic, Christian Science Monitor, Chicago Tribune, Harvard Management Update, Presentations, PR News, Sales & Marketing Management, Selling Power, and Tech Republic. He also writes "On Leadership Communication," a monthly column for Darwin Online (www.darwinmag.com) as well as a regular column for CIO.com. Additionally John is the creator of the highly successful series, "Coach Casting," a series of download audio podcasts for CXO Media. Each 2-3 minute podcast carries tactical and practical advice that managers can use to coach their employees (or themselves) on topics ranging from delivering bad news and dealing with people you can't stand to asking for a raise or showing proper recognition. John also takes his message on the road. He is a frequent speaker on communications, motivation, and personal leadership to corporate, trade, professional network and university organizations. In August 2004, John had the privilege of speaking to the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvannia. John graduated with honors from the University of Michigan with a Master's in performance consulting and adult instruction. He also is a graduate of Georgetown University and London International Film School.
DAVID BEHEN David Behen is the Director of Information Technology for Washtenaw County, Michigan. Mr. Behen is leading the County's drive towards reliable and accessible information for 1300-plus employees, and championing the County's e-Government initiatives that impact all of Washtenaw County's citizen-customers. His responsibilities include oversight and strategic direction of all data and telecommunication systems, online resources and the improvement of methods and procedures to enhance customer service. Dominating his community leadership has been his role at the forefront of the nascent Wireless Washtenaw initiative. This cutting-edge effort seeks to bring the entire public and private County community together to provide free or very low-cost access to the Internet regardless of location or economic status. Mr. Behen is a member of the Technology Task Force for Public Technology Institute (PTI), the national non-profit technology research and development organization based in Washington, DC, and recently Mr. Behen began a two year assignment as Vice-Chair of PTI's Telecommunications and Information Technology Council. Mr. Behen is presently serving on the Governing Board for the 2005 Regional Leadership Forum for the Society for Information Management (SIM). He has made presentations to the e-Government Consortium for The Innovations Groups, and is a member of the Metropolitan Information Exchange. Mr. Behen has received a number of honors including the 2005 Michigan Excellence in Technology Award for Demonstrated Leadership in Management of Information Technology. He was also named one of the "Top 50 Digital Innovators" by The Great Lakes IT Report and WWJ Radio. Though his efforts to find ways to collaborate for impact in both technology and local government have meant a number of speaking engagements throughout the country, Mr. Behen has been most gratified by the accolades received by Washtenaw County's Support Services and Information Technology. The County was recently named to the Top Ten Digital County list by the Center for Digital Government and National Association of Counties (NACo). Earlier this year the County received a national Innovations Award from Public Technology Institute (PTI). Mr. Behen has been with Washtenaw County since 1999, working in a number of leadership roles including interim directors of Planning & Environment and Facilities Management. Prior to his work with the County, he was City Manager of Mattawan, Michigan. Mr. Behen lives in Ypsilanti Township with his wife Rosalie, and two children Isabel and Joshua.
PHIL BERTOLINI Role: As Deputy County Executive, Bertolini serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Activities:
Oakland County Achievements: Bertolini was appointed and served as the Director of Information Technology in 2001 by L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive. Prior to that appointment, Phil served as the Administrator of Equalization, during which he led the team that developed the Access Oakland program, providing Web-based access to Oakland County's public records. As the Director of Information Technology, Bertolini worked with a staff of 156 employees and managed a budget of $34 million in expenses annually. In 2002, he created the eGovernment team, which was followed by a complete reorganization of the Information Technology Department in early 2003. Under his leadership, the Department of Information Technology developed innovative ways to deliver government services online, making it easier for businesses, residents, and local governments to do business with county government. Bertolini's philosophy is "Build it once, pay for it once and everyone benefits!" In 2004, he was featured in publications such as CIO Magazine and the Detroiter magazine for his revolutionary leadership initiatives in the IT sector. Under his tenure, he secured for Oakland County a coveted position in CIO Magazine's Top 100 Agile Technology Leaders in the country, which included both private and public sectors. Personal: Bertolini received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications from Michigan State University in 1985. He has been married for 12 years to Kathy and has two sons. When he is not working, Phil enjoys golfing, MSU football games, and skiing with his family.
NEIL BHASKAR Neil Bhaskar is the Founder and Board member of NovaSoft Information Technology Corporation. NovaSoft employees over 600 consultants worldwide with its international headquarters in Princeton, NJ and other offices in Parsippany NJ; United Kingdom, Germany, India, and the Singapore. Mr. Bhaskar built NovaSoft to be a Hall of Fame company in New Jersey and the 16th fastest growing company in the United States in all industrial sectors. In the Year 2000 NovaSoft also had the distinction of being a four (4) times Inc. 500 company on the Inc.500 List (#16) of privately held companies in the U.S. and number three (#3) in New Jersey on the Fast50 List published by New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC) in conjunction with Deloitte & Touche. Prior to starting his own company, Mr. Bhaskar was a founding member of IMR Global, a 2000 professional International outsourcing firm established in 1989, went public in 1996 and got sold in 2000. Mr. Bhaskar was responsible for the North-Eastern region for IMR Global. Prior to that Mr. Bhaskar was responsible for managing outsourced clients of Martin Marietta and Senior Director for Standard & Poor's IT department on Wall Street in the United States. After the untimely demise of Mr. Brean Murray, since the beginning of 2004, Neil & a couple of HBS friends have been involved in stabilization and operational management of a 30+ years old boutique Investment Bank. The Invsetment Bank, Brean Murray (BM), has around 125 professionals, $1.4b under asset management and in 2003 helped close $1.2b M&A & Corporate Finance transactions. Mr. Bhaskar is an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year award winner from the State of New Jersey in Year 2000 and also Golden Door Award winner from the States Department and the International Institute of New jersey for a foreign born American who has contributed greatly to the community.
MIKE BRENNAN Mike Brennan is founder of Michigan News Network, and serves as Editor & Publisher of Mitechnews.Com. Brennan has worked since 1980 as a technology writer at newspapers in New York City (Electronic Buyers' News), San Jose, CA. (Business Journal), Seattle, WA., (Herald), Memphis, TN. (Commercial Appeal), and Detroit, MI. (Free Press). Brennan earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and was the 1992-93 Knight Fellow in Economic Journalism at the University of Michigan. Brennan launched Mitechnews.com in April 2000. Video and audio webcasting capabilities were added in 2001, a statewide radio show (Michigan Technology News Today) and a daily eNewsletter were added in 2002. In 2003, the eNewsletter was co branded with WJR News Radio 760 in Detroit.
LORIE BUCKINGHAM As Senior Vice President, Global Services Group, for Visteon Corporation, Lorie J. Buckingham is globally responsible for all information technology support. Buckingham, who also is a corporate officer, previously served as the company's senior vice president and chief information officer. She joined Visteon in 2001 as director of global software solutions. Her extensive knowledge of enterprise business processes and enabling solutions has been perfected both with start-up and mature companies. In her position as chief information officer for Zonetrader.com, a Chicago-based provider of asset end-of life-cycle management services, she was able to rapidly develop sophisticated e-commerce solutions along with core processing on SAP to meet customer commitments. Between 1993 and 1999, Buckingham worked at Union Carbide Corporation in Danbury, Conn., where she served as the director of enterprise information technology solutions. There she successfully established enterprise-wide work processes and solutions to enable strategic business initiatives. Buckingham has a bachelor's degree in mathematics and chemistry from the State University of New York. Visteon Corporation is a leading, full-service supplier that delivers consumer-driven technology solutions to automotive manufacturers worldwide and through multiple channels within the global automotive aftermarket. Visteon has about 70,000 employees and a global delivery system of more than 200 technical, manufacturing, sales and service facilities located in 24 countries.
TERRY CROSS After graduating from Wayne State University with an MBA in Finance in 1966, Mr. Cross entered the machine tool business in Detroit, Michigan, with The Cross Company, (publicly traded) the world's leader in Automated Machine Tools. From 1964 through 1968, Mr. Cross worked in many departments of The Cross Company, learning the business from the ground up. In 1968, Mr. Cross started his own company, CP Systems Company specializing in high-speed, small parts, automated assembly machinery, and built it up to an annual revenue base of $ 10.0 million. In 1972, Mr. Cross sold CP Systems Company to Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, a NYSE listed company. Mr. Cross entered the securities business in 1972 through a training program with Eastman Dillon Union Securities. In 1974, Mr. Cross joined Kidder, Peabody & Company in their Detroit, Michigan office and remained there until 1985 when he was transferred to Kidder's flagship Park Avenue office in New York City. In 1985, Mr. Cross was elected a Senior Vice President and shareholder of Kidder, Peabody & Company. In 1988, Mr. Cross requested a transfer to Kidder's San Francisco office and remained there until 1998. During his years in San Francisco from 1989 until 1998, he focused almost entirely on the companies and venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. In 1995, Kidder was acquired by PaineWebber, and Mr. Cross remained with PaineWebber after the acquisition. Mr. Cross retired from PaineWebber in July of 1998 to pursue private investments and then joined Highland Capital Management, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor founded by his wife, Kimberly A. Cross. Highland managed portfolios on a discretionary basis for high net worth individuals and was the manager of The Drake Passage Fund, LP a private investment partnership. In May of 2001, Mr. Cross retired from Highland Capital Management, Inc. In February 2000, Mr. Cross co-founded Sonoma Photonics, Inc in Santa Rosa, CA where he served as CEO and Chairman until he resigned to return to Michigan in August 2002. During his tenure, Mr. Cross spearheaded the development of the business plan and raised $ 10.7 million in venture funding from domestic and European investors. Sonoma Photonics continues to operate in Santa Rosa, CA despite the downturn in the telecom market. In August 2002, Mr. Cross returned to Michigan and is currently the owner of Windward Associates, a venture consulting business. Mr. Cross was selected as one of the nations top twenty-five stockbrokers by Registered Representative Magazine in 1981 (awarded only once in an individual's career) and is also included in the National Directory of Exceptional Stockbrokers. He is a Certified Financial Planner and a member of the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals. He was also a member of PaineWebber's Chairman's Club. During his years at Kidder Peabody, Mr. Cross brought in 12 investment banking transactions that resulted in significant financings and/or IPO's. Mr. Cross has a broad base of knowledge of the securities industry and extensive experience in developing investment strategies for wealth building, preservation of capital, and retirement planning for high net worth individuals. His business also includes small institutions, corporations, and both domestic and international money managers. In addition, Terry has significant experience in private venture funding. Mr. Cross is a past Director of G2 Networks, Inc. of Los Gatos, CA, Safari Technology Inc. of Lawton, Michigan, GCB Technologies of San Jose, CA, and InGenius Technologies of Kalamazoo, MI. and Wordenglass Inc. of Kalamazoo, MI. All companies are privately owned or have been sold. In past years he has served as a Director of Intellitec Corporation and Axiomatics Corporation both of which are located in Cambridge, MA and were established with technology licensed from MIT, where Mr. Cross served on the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity. He also served as a Director of Machine Vision International of Ann Arbor, MI and Inivest of Detroit, Michigan. Both companies were sold. Mr. Cross has served as a financial advisor to Triscend Semiconductor of Mountain View, CA, Macropore Corporation of San Diego, CA. and All-American Semiconductor of San Jose, CA. He is also a founding investor of LNL Technologies, a micro photonics company associated with MIT. He currently serves on The Board Of Visitors at Wayne State University's School of Business Administration as well as on the Critiquing Committee for their Entrepreneur Program. He is a current Director of Municipal Financial Consultants, Inc., a member of The Board of Directors of Great Lakes Angels and a founding member of The Michigan Venture Capital Association. In 2005, Mr. Cross accepted the position of interim President and CEO of TiNTech Laboratories [a stealth mode company] and serves as a non-executive Chairman of The Board for iMX Solutions, Inc. of Royal Oak, MI. Most recently, Mr. Cross was appointed as the first Executive in Residence for Entrepreneurial Studies at The School of Business Administration at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and received the 2005 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Wayne State University's School Of Business Administration. Mr. Cross is a former Trustee of Mariner's Church, Detroit, Michigan, and an inactive trustee of The Professional Children's School of New York City.
LYNNE ELLYN Lynne Ellyn is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE), a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Ellyn leads an organization of approximately 800 people who provide information technology strategy, development and operations for all of the DTE Energy companies. Ellyn has an undergraduate degree from Oakland University and an executive M.B.A. from Michigan State University. Ellyn serves on the board of the DTE Energy charitable foundation and is a member of the DTE Energy Ventures Investment Committee, a venture and investment group making investments in emerging energy technology companies. She is a fellow of the Cutter Business Technology Council and writes a monthly opinion article for the Cutter Business Technology Trends and Impacts Journal. In 2002, Crain's Detroit Business named Ellyn as one of the 100 Most Influential Women Business Leaders in the metropolitan Detroit area. In 2003 the Association for Women in Computing named Ellyn as one of the Top Michigan Women in Computing. In August 2004, CORP! magazine named Ellyn as one of Michigan's Top Business Women.
GARY ERICKSON Gary Erickson has over 30 years of management and executive experience including the positions of CIO, COO, Director of Sales, and Global Director Quality and Manufacturing. In 1994, Gary was named one of the country's leading mid market CIO's by Deloitte and Touche. Gary founded an multiple award winning technology services company (Great Lakes Technologies Group) and is currently the Managing Partner of Executive Search Partners, one of Michigan's leading information technology search companies. Gary is on the Board of Directors and was the former President of the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Information Management and was on the Board of Directors of Automation Alley and Digital Detroit. Gary was also a member of Oakland County's Business Roundtable and Oakland University Business School's Board of Advisors. Gary holds a Bachelor and Masters in Computer Science from Dartmouth College and a MBA from the University of Michigan.
JAMAL FARHAT Jamal Farhat is the Vice President and Chief Information Officer at BorgWarner responsible for the strategy and execution of information technology for the company. Prior to BorgWarner, Jamal was the CIO and Executive Director of Supply Chain Management at LDM Technologies. His background includes senior IT management positions in the automotive industry including OEMs such as General Motors, and many medium to large size tier one suppliers. His experience includes eleven years of information technology consulting at EDS and Perot Systems. Jamal holds a Bachelor & Masters of Science degree in electrical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Jamal also holds Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is also certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM) by the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS).
DR. WENDELL JONES Dr. Jones is a senior executive with extensive management and outsourcing experience in the securities, aerospace and computer industries. His previous positions include Vice President, e-Business Management Services, Compaq Computer Corporation; Senior VP, Technology Services, NASD/NASDAQ Stock Market; General Manager, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Information Services Company and Chair of Computer Science Faculty, US Military Academy, West Point. He was awarded the 2000 World Outsourcing Achievement Award by PriceWaterhouseCoopers for his decade of contributions to outsourcing practice. As a customer, he led the evaluation, negotiation and management of a $3 billion, 10-year IT outsourcing agreement between McDonnell Douglas and IBM and pioneered offshore outsourcing, while Senior Vice President of Technology Services at NASD/NASDAQ Stock Market. As a service provider, he managed worldwide service delivery and relationship management for Compaq's outsourcing business unit. He is the author and co-author of a number of management and outsourcing articles and a Prentice Hall book, Outsourcing Information Technology Systems and Services. He appeared in a CNBC outsourcing special and is regularly quoted in business and technology publications, including The Economist, Business Week, Investors Business Daily, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Computer World, Software magazine, InformationWeek, CIO, Wall Street & Technology, and Information Systems Management.
TODD LUNSFORD Todd Lunsford is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Quicken Loans Inc. He joined Rock Financial in May of 1997 after almost 10 years with EDS. Todd initially managed the implementation of the company's state-of-the-art Loan Origination Systems and 50-state lending platform, as well as the design of its award winning website. He has served in several roles, including software engineering, product management and project management. Todd was named CIO in August 2000. He attended John Carroll University, Ohio State and DeVry University. Quicken Loans Inc. includes Quicken Loans, Rock Financial and Title Source. Quicken Loans is the nation's largest online mortgage lender. Rock Financial is Michigan's largest mortgage company and two of its brick-and-mortar branches in southeast Michigan are the largest retail mortgage branches in the country. Together under both brands, the company closed $16 billion in residential mortgage loans in 2005. The "Quickenloans.com" website has been named the "Best of the Web" site by Forbes, Money and PC magazines. The company employs more than 3,500 people and has been ranked a Top 15 "Best Place to Work" in America by FORTUNE magazine for the past three years. Computerworld magazine recently ranked them #1 on its "Best Places to Work in Technology" list. Rock Financial has been voted "The Best and Brightest Company to Work for in Metro-Detroit."
CLAUDE MARAIS Claude Marais is President of The Marais Group, LLC a specialty Sourcing and Contract Management Consulting Company. His current activities include working with sourcing industry leaders to redefine contract management practices. Prior to starting The Marais Group, he was head of Strategic Sourcing and Contract Management for the Information Systems and Services organization at General Motors. In this capacity he had global leadership and oversight responsibility for Contract Management and Strategic Sourcing in GM's $3 Billion a year fully outsourced IT organization. In addition, Mr. Marais was charged with the development of GM's Business Process Outsourcing methodology and standards. Recently he had functional responsibility on a key initiative to re-source all General Motors Corporation's information technology world wide. He was instrumental in developing new contracting processes and techniques to significantly reduce cost, effort and lead time while standardizing contracts globally. Prior to joining General Motors, Mr. Marais was the Director, Applications and Relationships, in Information Technology for the Coca-Cola Company. In this capacity he had responsibility for the worldwide Application Development function for the Company as well as Strategic Relations with their information technology partners. He was hired by The Coca-Cola Company to leverage his extensive knowledge of technology sourcing to create an IT Procurement Center of Expertise to coordinate information technology acquisitions for the Coca-Cola Bottling System in 94 countries and, among other achievements, created a global outsourcing practice. Prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company, Mr. Marais was Director, Processing Services and Planning for Elf Atochem North America, Inc., a chemical subsidiary of Paris-based Elf Aquitaine (now Total-Fina). His early career was with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in both South Africa and the United States, where he was a manager in their manufacturing systems practice. Mr. Marais is a co-founder and past National Chair of the Society for Information Management IT Procurement Working Groups and a founding member of the ICEX Outsourcing Forum. He is also a Fellow and Honorary Vice Chairman of the International Association of Contract and Commercial Managers. Mr. Marais is a certified Production and Inventory Control Manager, and has a bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
CHERRI MUSSER Cherri M. Musser is the Group Vice President and Chief Information Officer for General Motors Acceptance Corporation Financial Services worldwide operations. GMAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Corporation since 1919, operates under the brand name of GMAC Financial Services. In addition to worldwide automotive financing, its major businesses are insurance, mortgages and commercial finance (business-to-business lending). In her previous position with GM, Ms. Musser was the Process Information Officer of Supply Chain and OnStar for General Motors. Musser joined GM after 20 years with Texas Instruments (TI) where she served as vice president of worldwide research and development in TI's Software Division. She was responsible for product development of market-leading application-development tools to external customers worldwide. Previously, Musser was Director of TI's Enterprise Solution Division where she managed the Applications Software Strategic Business Unit. Musser also held the position of Director of Corporate Business Systems for TI. While in that position, she managed the definition, development and deployment of common systems for all TI businesses across all process areas. She was responsible for implementing supporting information technology solutions in support of major reengineering efforts in TI's semiconductor business. Ms. Musser reports to and Eric Feldstein, Chairman and President of GMAC and Ralph J. Szygenda, GM Group Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Information Systems & Services. Musser earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Mississippi State University in 1973 and an MBA from Southern Methodist University in 1986. Musser has been honored as one of the "100 leading women in the North American auto industry" by Automotive News and as one of the 25 most influential people in the supply chain industry by Supply Chain Technology News. Cherri has also been recognized as one of the "Top Michigan Women in Computing" by The Association of Women in Computing.
KEITH PRETTY, JD Keith Pretty was appointed by Michigan Governor John Engler to the Michigan Commission on Financing Postsecondary Education as well as the Education Commission of the States and the Midwestern Higher Education Commission. In addition, Pretty is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Council on Economic Education, and a member the Board of Directors of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School Alumni Association and Junior Achievement of Southeast Michigan. He is vice president of the William Beaumont Hospital Foundation Board of Directors and vice chairman of the Troy Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He is the only non-CPA member of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Association of CPAs. Prior to his appointment at Walsh, Pretty was vice president for external affairs and general counsel at Western Michigan University, at the same time serving as president and CEO of Western Michigan University Foundation. While managing all of the external relations activities for the University Ð including legal, affirmative action, alumni, collective bargaining, development, legislative marketing and public relations - he also managed significant growth of the Foundation endowments and helped raise over $100 million for the University in five years. Pretty has combined experience in higher education, the private sector and government service into a career of significant accomplishments in each of those areas. In fact, it was his unique blend of experience and accomplishments that led Governor Engler to appoint Pretty to design a new State of Michigan Department of Career Development to match educational resources to business needs in Michigan. In the private sector, Pretty held governmental affairs positions with Amoco Corporation from 1980 to 1987, eventually rising to the position of senior Washington representative. In this role, he managed Congressional and Executive branch representation for Amoco Corporation and three of its major subsidiaries, while serving as the primary corporate contact with the Chemical Manufacturers Association and the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. Pretty was an administrative assistant to the Minority Leader of the Michigan House of Representatives and later administrative assistant to former Senator William Sederburg. He began his career in the education field, teaching and coaching at Portage Northern High School in Portage, Michigan in 1973-74. While at WMU, he was also an adjunct assistant professor, teaching graduate classes in administrative law. Pretty earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Western Michigan University in 1973 and a juris doctor in 1978 from Thomas Cooley Law School. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Association.
MATT ROUSH Matt Roush joined WWJ Newsradio 950 in August 2001 to spearhead the launch of the Great Lakes IT Report (GLITR), a daily IT newsletter delivered every business morning to the desktops of Michigan's technology decisionmakers. Roush, GLITR's editor and technology editor at WWJ, covers the tech world broadly, including hardware, software, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and tech education. Prior to WWJ, Roush spent more than 10 years at Crain's Detroit Business. Originally hired as a banking reporter, he was transferred to the retailing beat in 1994, which is when he started covering the Internet. He took over the tech beat at Crain's full time in 1998. Roush has been in journalism in Michigan since 1978. Prior to Crain's he was a reporter and editor for newspapers in Three Rivers, Leland, Traverse City and Kalamazoo. He is a native of Three Rivers and a 1978 graduate of Albion College. Roush, a resident of Dearborn, is active in his community and church. He is the winner of numerous journalism awards. He is married and the father of two, and his hobbies include web surfing, cross country skiing, camping, hiking, astronomy, gardening, and building and flying model rockets.
TERI TAKAI Teresa (Teri) M. Takai is the Director of the Michigan Department of Information Technology (DIT), serving as the state's Chief Information Officer. She was appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm and was confirmed by the Senate in February 2003. Her broad experience includes working for Federal Mogul, where she was the Director of Process Development. Having held senior positions at EDS and Ford Motor Company, Ms. Takai has extensive experience in computer systems planning, logistics and financial lending systems. Teri's position as the Director of DIT represents her first experience in the public sector, reporting directly to Governor Granholm. As the second director of the Department, Ms. Takai is responsible for developing a new organization and its 1,700 employees. One of her most immediate concerns includes grappling with the state's current budget deficit and developing measures for DIT to meet the demand for cutting costs while still meeting the demand for providing information technology services for Michigan. Detroiter Magazine recently named Ms. Takai as one of the top 100 emerging business leaders in Southeast Michigan. The Association for Women in Computing presented her with the "Top Michigan Women in Computing" award. Teri was also named to the Crain's Detroit Business list of the 100 Most Influential Women. She serves on the Walsh College President's Advisory Council, Junior Achievement Board, Oakland University Meadowbrook Art Gallery Board, and the Cherry Commission for Higher Education. Ms. Takai received a BA in Mathematics from the University of Michigan, and holds a MA in Management from the University of Michigan. A metro Detroit native, she enjoys traveling and runs 5K races in her spare time.
CYNTIA ZERKOWSKI Ms. Zerkowski is the Information Technology Director for Macomb County. She was appointed to that position in 1996 by the Macomb County Board of Commissioners with the primary charge for developing and implementing the County's strategic technology plan. This has resulted in a complete overhaul of all infrastructure and information systems with none being more than five years old. Ms. Zerkowski came into government from private industry, and has 30 years experience in the technology field, with a primary emphasis in strategic planning, networking technologies, and quality service delivery. She is a licensed attorney in the State of Michigan with a field of interest in Computer Law, and also holds Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Computer Science degrees. In 2005, Ms. Zerkowski was appointed by Governor Granholm, and confirmed by the Senate, to a three-year term on the board of the Michigan Broadband Development Authority. |
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